Cross reference to related applications: This case is related to co-pending U.S. Plant Patent Application filed concurrently as Peach Tree Named xe2x80x98Spring Candyxe2x80x99.
Botanical classification: Prunus persica. 
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Bright Princessxe2x80x99.
In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, I, the inventor, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which has been denominated varietally as xe2x80x98Bright Princessxe2x80x99. The present variety was hybridized by me in 1996, grown as a seedling on its own root in my greenhouse, and transplanted to a cultivated area of my experimental orchard at Bradford Farms near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley).
The variety was developed as a first generation cross using xe2x80x98Spring Brightxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,507) yellow flesh nectarine as the selected seed parent and an unnamed peach as the selected pollen parent. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of peach tree, I asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of xe2x80x98Nemaguardxe2x80x99 (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its selected seed parent, xe2x80x98Spring Brightxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,507) nectarine, by producing fruit that is globose in shape, firm and crisp in texture, mostly red in skin color, yellow in flesh color, and that ripen in the latter part of June, but is very distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that is freestone instead of clingstone and that is peach instead of nectarine in type.
The present variety is similar to the cross referenced xe2x80x98Spring Candyxe2x80x99 peach by sharing the same parentage and by producing peaches that are freestone in type, nearly full red in skin color, yellow in flesh color, and firm in texture, but differs significantly by producing peaches that have the classical acidic peach flavor instead of sub-acidic, that have considerably less red streaking around the stone, that mature about 3 days earlier, and that have a sweet kernel instead of bitter.
The present variety is most similar to xe2x80x98Diamond Princessxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,066) peach by producing fruit that is yellow in flesh color, nearly full red in skin color, excellent in flavor, and freestone in type, but is distinguished therefrom by blooming about one week earlier and by producing fruit that is firmer in texture, larger in size, and matures about fifteen days earlier.
In summary, the present variety is characterized by a medium size, vigorous, hardy, self-fertile, productive and regular bearing tree. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described in the latter part of June, with first picking on Jun. 22, 2002. The fruit is uniformly large in size, sweet and acidic in flavor, globose in shape, freestone in type, firm in texture, yellow in flesh color, and mostly red in skin color.